Holiday Inspiration from the Spice Island.

Tis the season for over-imbibing and over-indulgence. But instead of sharing the standard bottle of red wine at your next holiday party, why not try something a little more inspired?! 

I came across the following recipes for Jamie Oliver's mulled wine and a holiday sangria featured on the Sprouted Kitchen, and the combination of winter fruits, warm spices and clementines all brought about immediate associations of the Christmas season in my mind. So drink it warm or cold, depending on your locale, but either way tis the season to add some spice in your life!

Interestingly, both of these recipes hit close to "home" not because mulled wine or sangria are holiday staples in our family, but rather because of my current proximity to Zanzibar, otherwise known as the "Spice Island." Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous island approximately 20 miles off the Tanzania mainland, has a long history of growing spices. In 1698, Zanzibar fell under the control of the Sultanate of Oman, which developed an economy of trade and cash crops with a ruling Arab elite. They developed large plantations to grow spices, and eventually the term "Spice Island" was coined in reference to Zanzibar. Today, spices continue to be one of Zanzibar's main industries, together with tourism. The islands are particularly well known for their production of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper. 

Tourists to Zanzibar are welcomed to join any number the daily spice tours excursions to the plantations within easy reach of Stonetown. We had the pleasure of taking a spice tour on a recent trip to Zanzibar and it proved quite an interesting excursion. Perhaps in this case pictures are worth a 1000 words.

the "spicy" boy.

fru-ITs and spices.

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Photo Credits: 

# 1 and #2: http://sproutedkitchen.com/

As a side note: the photography on this site is amazing, and makes the blog well worth reading alone, even if cooking is not a personal interest. I highly recommend perusing this site.

pictures of fru-ITs and spices: Andrei Sinioukov

Cherry Bomb.

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Photo Credit:
Andrei Sinioukov

Steve Bomb.

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Photo Credit:
Andrei Sinioukov

Cart O' Italian Delight in Zanzibar.

Ace of Spades?

I am feeling lucky today. Are you?

Hello Sunshine.

Wish You Were Here.

We are gushing with joy over the arrival of our guests for a 9 day Safari/Zanzibar adventure! Karibu sana - Joannie, Katie, Tracy, Jim, Steve, Mason and Marie!

For those of you that are not able to join us on our Safari/Zanzibar Adventure - you will be missed.  Can't wait to share pictures and stories on our return. Until soon.

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Photo Credit:

Andrei Sinioukov

A Picture for You.

Recently, an ex-boyfriend revealed that he had discovered my blog and peruses it on occasion. He was quick to comment that I have not posted many pictures of Andrei and myself. Perhaps he is just interested in confirming that his new girlfriend is skinnier and hotter than me, and that he is in better shape than Andrei (all of the above likely true...). Nonetheless, he said, if the purpose of your blog is to keep in touch with folks from home, then perhaps some pictures of you guys would better help serve that function. Someone else reminded me that pictures of ourselves can add a nice personal element to my blogging "voice" (aka interrupt my habit of presenting banal musings on topics of complete irrelevance to most readers). In the interest of pleasing all concerned parties, I share the following pictures.

Shopping with a Conscious: Bantu.

I have long grown tired of increasingly grandiose attempts to get consumers to consume more under the thinly veiled guise of saving the world. But this Vanity Fair headline really seemed to take the cake, "Buy a Swimsuit, Save Africa". Its a simple claim really, but yet, so loaded. A swimsuit that can save a whole continent, please let us not oversimplify rather complex development challenges that professionals have been trying to tackle for decades. But as I read on, my skepticism gave way to tentative support. Perhaps a swimsuit purchase will not save an entire continent, but here is what shopping with a consciousness may do.

Despite the often reported horrors of the continent, the founders of this swimsuit line, Bantu, seek to promote an often overlooked side of the African continent - Africa's amazing beaches and vibrant beach culture from Dakar to Cape Town to Zanzibar to Casablanca. Amidst stories that reach the American shores of the despondent and helpless peoples of African nations, this family business with African roots attempts to promote the sunnier side of this so called "dark" continent.

Yodit Eklund is the mastermind and visionary behind this new swimsuit line. Together with her brother, Yohannes Mekbebe, she is launching this swimwear line inspired by their childhood roots in Kenya, Egypt, and Bangladesh with strong influences from the low-key surfing vibe of the African coast.

So how exactly does this swimsuit purchase "save Africa"? Well, beyond, the bold efforts to rebrand Africa from "forever backward" to "full of vitality and life," their prints are sourced from sub-Saharan artists, and then cut and sewn in factories from Ethiopia to Cameroon, bringing industrial and economic development to some of the world’s most needy communities.

Bantu recognizes that we as consumers have the ability to make a difference, one purchase at a time, even in the seemingly far flung reaches of Africa. What Bantu does not provide is charity nor does it produce one off goods that consumers neither need nor want with a mere fraction of the proceeds supporting one cause or another. Rather their model is one of empowerment. Bantu does not create communities dependent upon aid, but gives them the opportunity to work and provide highly desired consumer goods (at least that is the goal of course).

Perhaps, not so ironically, you can find her collection at high end retailers across the U.S. including Barneys, Fred Segal, and Steven Alan boutiques (allegedly at Anthropologie as well, although I could not find online proof of that).

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References:

Vanity Fair, June 2010.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2008/09/buy-a-swimsuit-save-africa.html

http://www.africansurfer.com/?p=852

http://www.bantuwax.com/mission.html

Measuring Wealth and Success.

According to the CIA World Fact Book, approximately 36% of the Tanzanian population is said to fall below the poverty line -- a statistic that is particularly striking given that per capita income in 2008 stood at $442 (and presumably has remained just as low in the subsequent years). With average annual income so low, it seems difficult to imagine the conditions for those who fall below this so called poverty "line". On the opposite end of the spectrum, wealth in Tanzania confers a great deal of status and respect. "Mzee" is a Kiswahili term of endearment, not only reserved for use when describing elders, but also very respected and dignified men, or those presumed to have great wealth. While there are a number of international organizations focused on measuring poverty, I have recently learned of some very interesting cultural measures of wealth. Below I share a few examples of both historical and present-day measures of wealth from around the world.

Within the Tanzanian Maasai tribes, the extent of a man's wealth is measured in terms of cattle and children. A herd of 50 cattle is respectable, and the more children the better. A man without plenty of either is considered to be "poor." Similarly, within most tribes in Tanzania, there continues to be a tradition of a dowry, or rather, the money, property, or goods a woman brings as a gift to her husband in marriage, where cattle are often used as the "currency" for negotiations between the families of the two promised to be married (the bride and groom do not take part in these negotiations).

When cattle do not apply, there are a variety of creative measures to assess one's wealth applied around the world. In polygamous cultures, the number of brides one can “afford” indicates wealth and status. Islamic law allows for up to four formal wives, provided the man can afford to support that number of wives and the number of children that may imply. In Zanzibar, under the rule of the Omani Arab Sultans, while it was unusual for a man to have more than one formal wife, there were no limits placed on the number of concubines and slaves a man could purchase and keep. Until 1911, it was the practice of the Sultan to maintain a harem of around 100 concubines and sleep with five concubines per night in strict order of rotation. The wealth of the Sultans allowed them to exercise this privilege and father many children. In Thailand, until the practice of polygamy was outlawed by King Rama VI, it was expected of monarchs to maintain a harem of women consisting of numerous “major” and “minor” wives, as well as the fruits of these relationships, aka children. Demonstrating their wealth, previous Kings created some truly prodigious families. Rama I had 42 children by 28 mothers; Rama II had 73 children by 40 mothers; Rama III had 51 children by 37 mothers, eventually accumulating a total of 242 wives and consorts, Rama IV had 82 children by 35 mothers, and Rama V had 77 children by 40 mothers.

In India, there is a great cultural value placed on gold as a measure of wealth. Gold is considered as a status symbol, signifying great wealth. For a bride, it is believed, wearing 24 karat gold on her wedding day, will render luck and happiness throughout the married life. In all Indian weddings the amount of gold the bride brings in shows her family’s status and wealth and forms part of the dowry that is given to the bride (quite distinct from most dowries in Tanzania which are given instead to the groom). Accordingly, gold is the bride’s “insurance,” as it can quickly be turned into cash for use if an emergency arises.

So how then are wealth and success measured in America? Perhaps the measure of one’s wealth and success centers around the staples of the American dream – a house? a car? a college education? 2.5 children? Maybe even, a diamond ring and other jewels? Perhaps at the end of the day, culturally relative perceptions of wealth and success render comparisons of wealth and success between here and there mute.

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References:

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2843.htm

Northern Tanzania with Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar by Phillip Briggs (2006), page 200. ISBN 1 84162 146 3

Footprint: Tanzania Handbook, 2nd edition

Lonely Planet: Bangkok City Guide

http://hubpages.com/hub/Significance-of-Gold-in-Indian-Culture-indians-reasons

Light my Fire.

Inspirational lights and fixtures from Tanzania to Thailand.

 

Classic in Zanzibar

Elegant in Zanzibar

Playful in Bangkok

Modern in Bangkok

Creative in Bangkok

Natural in Koh Samet

Maasai footwear fashion.

The Maasai are arguably the most well known among Africa's indigenous peoples. This is true for many reasons, perhaps chief among them is their steadfast resistance to abandon traditional customs and distinctive ways of dress amid varied pressures of globalization.

The Maasai are striking in appearance and adorn themselves in ornate costuming. Deep red and brilliant purple checkered sarongs, or shukas, drape from each shoulder to cover their long and lean bodies. Intricately beaded jewelry hanging from overstretched ear lobes and belts containing weaponry indicate rank and position in society.

Traditionally, the Maasai have populated the border between Tanzania and Kenya, making a living as herders and semi-nomadic pastoralists. Today, many Maasai have flooded into urban centers around Tanzania and Kenya where they have encountered seeming success in capitalizing upon their traditional lifestyle to carve out a niche for themselves in our modern, global economy.

One curious example of this includes traditional Maasai sandals made out of off-road tires that can be found for sale in some of Tanzania's most tourist laden areas.

Incidentally, there were rumors online (I was unable to confirm this from a credible source) that several Maasai "worriers" ran the London marathon in 2008 in their traditional tire sandals. Seriously, imagine that.

In case anyone is more curious to see images of Maasai dress and customs, here is a youtube video:

Museum Worthy Fashion.

Ex-pat grumblings and rumblings.

There is a plague in Dar es Salaam. A plague of crows. These loud, large black birds are Indian Crows. Their entry into Tanzania was originally anticipated to be more of a blessing than a curse. Over a century ago, the Indian Crow was imported to Zanzibar by Sir Gerald Portal to help the island's sanitary conditions through their penchant for consuming waste. Since that time, the crow population has grown in both their population size and reach. Today, in Dar es Salaam on mainland Tanzania, the crow population is estimated to be 1 million.

Dislike for these birds, also commonly referred to as "flying rats", is palatable. For instance, former U.S. ambassador Robert V. Royall made quite a name for himself here within the Dar es Salaam community when he called in members of his Marine detachment to his compound to fire at these birds with 12-gauge shotguns. This pasttime for the former ambassador resulted in the killing of about 1,000 crows, which hardly made a dent in their overall numbers, but I suppose proved quite a diversion for him on a personal level. To be sure, dislike for these birds extends well beyond trivial concerns about commonplace nuisances to ecological concerns related to how these crows have wiped out other bird populations within Dar es Salaam, and public health concerns that they are can potentially pass avian influenza because they are known to attack and eat young chickens.

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Sources:

http://articles.sfgate.com/2006-07-02/news/17302188_1_crow-population-new-embassy-golf-cart

http://www.zanzibar.org/

Man on a Porch.

Door Stop in the Coffee House.

 

Boy on the Beach.

 

Boy with a Monkey.